Pacifier



P., E. ALLEN PACIFIER Filed Feb. 26. 1953 United States Patent()Krueger, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationFebruary 26, 1953, Serial No. 339,135 2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-360) Thepresent invention relates to an infants pacifier and particularly to anovel pacifier constructed and arranged in such manner that it willautomatically drop from the mouth of the infant when the infant fallsasleep or rests and its lips relax their hold upon the nipple.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide a novel pacifier weighted and balanced in such manner that withthe nipple inserted into the mouth of the infant and held between itslips, relaxing of its grip on the nipple, as when the infant fallsasleep, causes the n'ppleto withdraw or drop from the mouth of theinfant.

By disposing the center of gravity of the pacifier at a point spacedrearwardly of the anchored end of the nipple and providing thisrearwardly projecting portion with sufcient weight or mass, tipping ofthe pacifier to withdraw the nipple from the mouth of the infant whenthe latter is asleep or relaxed is effected. Due to this constructionand arrangement, there is no danger of the pacier causing the infant tochoke or of its remaining in the mouth of the infant when asleep, forpromptly upon the infant relaxing its hold upon the nipple as whencoughing, resting or sleeping, the nipple is automatically removed.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novelpacifier having a nipple, an extension which in the disclosed embodimentcomprises a rattle having a ring attached thereto and a shiftable weighttherein, and an enlarged disc or guard disposed between the nipple andrattle with the end of the nipple ailxed to the disc.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such furtherobjects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear andare inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the novel pacifier` assembly.

Fig. 2 is a View, part in side elevation and part in vertical crosssection, of the pacifier assembly and showing the interior of the rattleand the manner of joining the rattle and the nipple to the disc.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pacifier assembly.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the novel pacier inserted innormal position in the mouth of an infant.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the novel pacifier showing the manner inwhich it drops and is automatically removed from the mouth when theinfant falls asleep or relaxes sulliciently to release the nipple.

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of an alternate construction ofpacifier, a portion of the ball or rattle being broken away to show theenclosed weight.

Referring to the disclosure in the drawings and more particularly t0 theselected embodiment therein shown for illustrating the presentinvention, in the novel embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, thepacifier assembly comprises a nipple 10, a relatively large disc orguard 11, a rattle 12 and connecting rings 13 and 14. The nipple 10,preferably formed of rubber or rubber-like and resilient material, isattached at one end to the disc or guard by means of an annular bead orenlargement 15 (Fig. 2) adapted to be conformably received and anchoredin a recess 16 formed in a collar 17 connecting the disc 11 to therattle 12.

Vring 14. The disc 11, collar ice The resilient or llexible nipple 10being of `rubber' or rubber-like material is held in anchored `positionin an opening in the 'disc 111 by an insert 18 projecting into thehollow, open end thereof and thereat expanding or distending the sidewall of the nipple against the material of the disc defining theopening. An annular enlargement or bead 19 on the inner end of thisinsert bears against the bead or `enlargement 1.5 on the open end of thenipple 10 whereby the nipple is securely held against removal and theinsert, by expanding the nipple, prevents the entrance of foreignmaterial between the exterior wall of the nipple and the disc. Thus thenipple and pacifier may be readily and easily kept sterile.

The rattle 12 is shown provided with a shiftable or movable objectincluding a shell 21 and a weight 22 therein adapted to move freely inthe rattle enclosure or shell 23. Axed to this shell or enclosure 23 bymeans of a suitable connector or collar 24 is the ring 13 and looselyconnected or interlinked to the latter is the relatively large 17,enclosure or shell 23, connector 24 and rings 13 and 14, may be formedof any suitable plastic or other composition or material capable offorming a rigid assembly that is highly resistant to fracture ordisassembly, and one which may be quickly, easily and thoroughlysterilized.

The disc 11, collar 17, shell or enclosure 23 and connector 24 may beformed separately and joined together, or they may be molded as twohalves with each half including one-half of the disc, collar, shell orenclosure and connector, and these halves joined longitudinally alongthe seam 25 (Fig. l).

By the present construction and arrangement, the center of gravity ofthe assembly is disposed substantially to the rear of the disc and awayfrom the nipple whereby the point about which the assembly is pivoted orbalanced is such that the assembly will automatically tilt toward theend carrying the ring and thereby drop from the mouth or lips of theinfant when it falls asleep, coughs or tends to choke and its hold onthe nipple is relaxed.

Fig. 7 discloses an alternate embodiment in which a ball or shell 26 ofa rattle is suitably ailixed to the outer end of an elongated sleeve 27,the inner end of this sleeve being rigidly attached to the disc 11. Inthe ball of the rattle is provided a weight or weighted object 21whereby to overbalance or shift the center of gravity of the completeassembly to a point substantially to the rear of or away from the disc11 and nipple 10.. Here again, the disc 11, sleeve 27 and rattle ball orshell 26 may be formed separately and joined together or this assemblymay be molded in two longitudinal sections joined together.

Although the present illustrative embodiment discloses a rattle 12including a ball part 23 ailixed to the disc 11 by a collar 17 (Figs. lto 6), or such a part atlixed to the outer end of an elongated sleeve27, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such anassembly but comprehends any pacifier so constructed or provided with anextended part or means so located that the center of gravity or point ofbalance of the assembly is disposed or arranged sutiiciently to the rearof the disc or away from the nipple to thereby prevent retention of thenipple in the mouth of the infant when asleep or relaxed, or when theinfant has a tendency to choke and momentarily releases the nipple. Witha pacifier constructed as contemplated, the mother is assured that thepacifier cannot continuously remain in the infants mouth or undercircumstances that might be injurious.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

l. A pacifier assembly comprising a nipple having a bead at its openend, a sleeve-like insert disposed in this open end and provided with anannular bead at one end bearing against the bead on the nipple, a discto which the open end of the nipple is attached and from which thenipple projects, a collar attached to the disc and into which the beadsproject, a rattle ball attached to the exterior of the collar on theside opposite to the nipple and a ring connected to the exterior of therattle ball opposite to that of the collar, whereby the center ofgravity of the assembly is disposed at a point between the disc and thering and away from the nipple causing the nipple to drop from the mouthof the infant when asleep or when its lips relax their hold on thenipple.

2. A pacifer comprising a nipple, a disc through which the open end ofthe nipple projects, said disc having a part into which the open end ofthe nipple projects, a hollow ball seated upon and anchored to saidpart, a weight loose and movable in the ball, a projection attached tothe exterior of the ball opposite to the part on the disc to which theball is attached and a ring connected to the last Vmentioned projection,said weighted ball and its location with respect to the nippleoverbalancing the ring end of the pacier and causing the pacier to bewithdrawn from the mouth of the infant when asleep or when its hold onthe nipple is released.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,462,786 steekler Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,964 Great Britain ef1897 2,462,786 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1949

